What’s more, to say that all seven high-ranking officials from the Changlin Horse Farm, from Xiong Bochen downwards, were hanged in the meeting hall for a full three days, or to mention that the Yongxing Gang’s hall collapsed overnight, and the Black Tiger Hall’s guardian Black Tiger mysteriously disappeared…

In short, the opening of the Baiyu Jing Tavern was extremely smooth, and business quickly exploded, making the many plans Bai Yu Xia had prepared unexpectedly unnecessary.

A mere tavern was not enough for Bai Yu Xia to display his talents. Even if Baiyu Jing quickly became the number one tavern in Xing Yue Yuan, it was still completely insignificant.

Only Jiang Wang gave the impression of wanting to reside here permanently, and he also adopted the stance of long-term development.

As for who Jiang Wang wanted to catch, Jiang Wang didn’t say, and he didn’t ask.

To put it without being boastful, with his ability to handle the diplomatic relations between Qi and Jing, he completely possessed the capability to immediately establish a national system in Xing Yue Yuan.

Of course, a small country with inherent deficiencies and no room for development was not something he, Bai Yu Xia, could look upon.

The Marquis of Wu’an had already been stripped of his title. The Marquis of Bo Wang, of course, was also a good choice.

With Jiang Wang’s friendship and the intervention of the Marquis of Bo Wang, Chong Xuan Sheng, he would certainly not lack opportunities in the State of Qi.

Scheming and weighing pros and cons, he had been trained in prestigious families since he was young and was not afraid of making a name for himself in the officialdom of Great Qi.

But the reason he had chosen to leave the State of Yue was not just because everyone weighed pros and cons, or because he couldn’t see any chance of defeating Ge Fei. He followed Jiang Wang to approach legends, to personally witness legends… and also to become a legend.

Tianfeng Gu was not small. The reason for such rare development in this plain was mostly due to man-made factors.

The bottom of the valley was like a huge street district, spreading out in a spiderweb-like network of canyons.

Baiyu Jing was naturally located on the main ‘street’, built against a steep cliff.

Bai Yu Xia leaned against the building and gazed into the distance, just to see a young man wearing a short jacket and hemp clothes, with a firewood knife hanging from his waist, walking out of the crowd, stepping on the dusty wind.

His gaze was fixed, and this person also stopped in the center of the street.

Now the flow of people became like a tide, and this person became a reef.

This person, with a reef-like posture, stood fixed here and cast his gaze up to the high building.

The noise quieted for a moment, and the wind also no longer flowed.

The sights of the two people intersected before knives and swords clashed.

Bai Yu Xia recognized this person.

Among those who went to Guanhe Tai in Dao Calendar 3919, no one would not recognize Lin Xian.

Unmatched sharpness, unrestrained divine power.

After a year apart, that youthful innocence was no longer seen.

The current Lin Xian was silent, steadfast, and enduring. He vaguely gave Bai Yu Xia a familiar feeling.

After a period of silent gazing, Bai Yu Xia only realized where this familiar feeling came from—the current Lin Xian was a bit like the previous Jiang Wang.

Only, the current Jiang Wang had added a touch of kingly and marquess-like romance, a touch of the dignity of someone who had stood at the peak of power, and a touch of the calm waves admired by the world.

And these, perhaps the future Lin Xian would also have.

“Please go back, Brother Lin.” Bai Yu Xia said, “Immortals do not see guests and are far from worldly matters.”

Jiang Wang was in long-term seclusion. The twelve floors of Baiyu Jing were fundamentally isolated from the outside. All matters were handled by him alone, and there were reasons for refusing Lin Xian at the door.

It was the second day the Baiyu Jing Tavern had opened.

The Crown Prince of the State of Rong had just personally come to Xing Yue Yuan, prepared ten carts of gifts, and sought to see Jiang Wang.

He also refused him on behalf of Jiang Wang.

During the ancestral temple offering ceremony in the State of Qi, when Jiang Wang and Chong Xuan Zun were ennobled as marquises, the Crown Prince of the State of Rong had personally gone to pay respects, just to seek more support from the Qi court.

In the War to Conquer Xia, the State Minister of the State of Rong, Ouyang Yong, died in battle. The State of Rong lost a pillar of the country and also lost the only Shentong Realm cultivator in the country.

After the war, the State of Qi gave the State of Rong corresponding rewards and compensation and also promised to protect the state and society of the State of Rong until the next person who could bear the heavy burden of the State of Rong appeared, or the period reached one hundred years.

Now this Crown Prince of the State of Rong had prepared heavy gifts to see Jiang Wang. Bai Yu Xia knew his intentions without needing to say anything.

It was nothing more than the complete offering of the country, worshipping a Supreme Pillar of State, or whatever Grand Master Jiang liked, using Jiang Wang’s name to protect the country.

But Jiang Wang had even abandoned his title in the State of Qi. Could he still go to the State of Rong?

To avoid the Crown Prince of the State of Rong’s show of sincerity and play of pity, which would waste Jiang Wang’s cultivation time and make Jiang Wang gain a reputation for being cold-blooded, Bai Yu Xia refused for Jiang Wang in advance.

Since the Crown Prince of the State of Rong had left, the number one talent of the State of Rong, Lin Xian, came again. It was clear his heart was not dead.

Although he greatly appreciated Lin Xian as a person, Bai Yu Xia still responded with a firm attitude.

Just as Bai Yu Xia remembered Lin Xian, Lin Xian naturally also remembered Bai Yu Xia, remembering this person’s pride and cleanliness on Guanhe Tai.

When the stars shone, they were both among them.

He stood in the middle of the coming and going crowd, lifting his head lonely, and slowly said: “My visit this time does not represent the State of Rong, only Lin Xian.”

This was something Bai Yu Xia could not decide for Jiang Wang.

“Please go to the eleventh floor.” Bai Yu Xia said.

Lin Xian nodded slightly, walked directly into the tavern, and ascended floor by floor.

The entire eleventh floor was divided into many different sections by Bai Yu Xia, with quiet rooms, tea rooms, study rooms, weapons rooms, fist and foot rooms…

He invited Lin Xian to sit in the tea room: “Wait until Brother Jiang’s evening lesson is over. We usually discuss cultivation problems a bit at that time. Then you can see him.”

Lin Xian nodded his thanks and said nothing else.

Bai Yu Xia gracefully poured tea and casually said: “May I ask something first? Brother Lin said this trip does not represent the State of Rong… what is the matter for then?”

Lin Xian raised his eyes to look at him.

This young man, once green and bitter, seemed to have become a thick and heavy man overnight. His gaze was very weighty.

Bai Yu Xia added: “Although Wang Jun is no longer a public marquis, I am still his retainer now.”

Lin Xian said: “I came to be his hound.”

Bai Yu Xia was silent for a moment.

This sentence would sound like a joke on any pride of the Yellow River, but from Lin Xian’s mouth, it was very impactful.

Previously on Xing Yue Yuan, Lin Xian’s sentence ‘willing to be Jiang Qingyang’s under hound’ spread throughout the Eastern Domain.

Some people thought it was natural.

Some people thought it was an exaggeration and treated it as a joke.

Some people also mocked him for being overly flattering, fawning over a great country.

But later, when Jiang Wang was enfeoffed as a marquis in the land of Xia, breaking the record for the youngest military merit marquis of the contemporary era, people discussed that matter again, all only sighing at Lin Xian’s vision.

Because of Yu Beidou’s propagation, the world all knew that Jiang Wang fought four great demons in the Nei Fu Realm, creating the terrifying record of being the first in history.

But no one knew that Lin Xian had watched this war from beginning to end.

From then on, admiration became the goal of life.

Bai Yu Xia drank a cup of tea without tasting it, quietly waiting for Jiang Wang to finish his cultivation.

To say “finish” wasn’t entirely accurate.

Because although the evening lesson was over, a light ring of Dao technique was always turning in Jiang Wang’s palm, practicing non-stop—this was also how he was when he discussed cultivation problems with Bai Yu Xia every day.

Seeing Lin Xian, whom Bai Yu Xia had brought to the twelfth floor, Jiang Wang was slightly stunned and couldn’t help but smile bitterly: “Brother Lin, why did you come personally?”

He had already heard Bai Yu Xia mention the matter of the Crown Prince of the State of Rong visiting. He would absolutely not participate in the matters of the State of Rong.

Even if he were supplied to be the supreme emperor, even if Lin Xian personally came to invite him, and he was already quite familiar with Lin Xian.

He thought Lin Xian should also be familiar with him, and that his decided matters would not be changed.

But he obviously thought wrong.

Lin Xian’s purpose in coming this time was different from that of the Crown Prince of the State of Rong.

As soon as he saw Jiang Wang, he bowed down directly: “Today Lin Xian visits in his own name… please allow me to follow you in cultivation!”

Jiang Wang pulled him up at once, not letting him bow down.

He only heard one sentence, but it was already enough.

Lin Xian had also accompanied him in the War to Conquer Xia.

Lin Xian had also been a classmate at Jixia Academy.

Even the State Minister of the State of Rong, Ouyang Yong, also died on the eastern front battlefield where he fought.

So he naturally understood Lin Xian’s dilemma and could understand why Lin Xian bowed down.

As a former pride of the Yellow River Assembly, Lin Xian was now in the Wai Lou Realm, facing the barrier of Tian Ren.

But the State of Rong no longer had a Shentong…

No one could transmit the Dao to him.

With Lin Xian’s qualifications, even if he just flipped through old classics or explored on his own, he should still cross the Tian Ren barrier.

But an ordinary Shentong was obviously not what Lin Xian desired.

“Let’s not talk about following.”

Jiang Wang said warmly: “If Brother Lin doesn’t mind, just stay here. The Great Dao is long, everyone has confused times, and there is no harm in accompanying each other on the journey.”

Bai Yu Xia was originally waiting to see how Jiang Wang would refuse, but he didn’t expect Jiang Wang to agree so straightforwardly.

Even Lin Xian wanted to live in.

A mere tavern outside Tianfeng Gu, what kind of rare industry was that?

“What does Little Bai think?” Jiang Wang asked.

“Oh, oh.”

Bai Yu Xia seemed to have wandered off a bit, and was called back very naturally, smiling with extreme grace: “Of course! Lin Xian is a great talent, willing to condescend to our tavern, I personally welcome him very much.”

He looked around a bit and said: “Brother Lin can just live on the eleventh floor. I will have people set aside several rooms for you later.”

Lin Xian nodded his thanks to him: “Brother Bai, you don’t need to bother too much. Lin’s life is always simple. Three feet of space, one mat is enough.”

Again, it was more than being a retainer, further to be a hound, and again, not wanting anything, one mat was enough.

Also a pride of the Yellow River.

Bai Yu Xia inexplicably felt a sense of crisis.

“That won’t do. The due respect, our Baiyu Jing absolutely cannot lack.”

He hooked Lin Xian’s shoulder: “Let’s go, we’ll go downstairs and chat in detail. Don’t let such a small matter affect Brother Jiang’s cultivation.”

The two went down to the eleventh floor, and after planning some rooms for Lin Xian, Bai Yu Xia said as if nothing had happened: “Do you know why this tavern is called Baiyu Jing?”

“Because it is an immortal residence?”

“Because my name is Bai Yu Xia.”

Lin Xian understood: “You are the chief, I am the secondary.”

Bai Yu Xia patted his shoulder, it was all in unspoken words.

Chief retainer Bai Yu Xia, at first, didn’t think that Jiang Wang, who had run to Xing Yue Yuan to hide and cultivate, had hidden so unsuccessfully.

Lin Xian’s arrival was not the end, but rather the beginning.

From this day on, a large number of people came to Baiyu Jing Tavern, requesting to bow under Jiang Wang.

People generally thought that the world-renowned Jiang Wang chose to leave Qi alone because he wanted to achieve a great cause himself.

Given the current world situation, it was almost impossible for another hegemonic country to rise, but with Jiang Wang’s fame, strength, and clearly visible future… if he really wanted to build a country, a regional strong country was still very likely to rise from the ground.

And Jiang Wang’s survival after leaving Qi for so many days unharmed indicated that he had already withstood the counterattacks from those open and secret forces he had offended when he was the Marquis of Qi Gong, and that he could cash in on this in the future.

So these self-proclaimed talents, and those who were怀才不遇, flocked to him, each wanting to be a ‘minister from the dragon’.

Fortunately, Bai Yu Xia remembered that he and Jiang Wang had not come to recruit soldiers and buy horses, so he blocked them all for Jiang Wang.

Some people knew the difficulty and retreated.

Another part of the people saw this as a test and顺势 resided in the Baiyu Jing Tavern, coming to eat, drink, and bow at fixed times every day, wanting Jiang Wang to see their sincerity.

Bai Yu Xia also didn’t drive them away, just treated it as supporting the tavern’s business.

Until one day, a handsome man with long flowing hair walked into Baiyu Jing.

Although this person did not display any momentum, this kind of dangerous temperament, different from the ordinary, still immediately alerted Bai Yu Xia, who was buried in calculating accounts at the counter.

He proactively walked out from behind the counter: “What does the guest want? This store’s cellar hides fine wines from the world’s five domains, gathers top chefs from the six countries, only you cannot think of it, there is nothing you cannot eat.”

The wine guests in the distance all looked sideways, wanting to see who this big shopkeeper of Baiyu Jing was treating solemnly.

The person who came was obviously somewhat surprised by the strength of this tavern: “Which six countries?”

Bai Yu Xia’s expression didn’t change: “Xu, Zhao, Chang, Yi, Rong, Shen.”

Good gracious, these several countries, each one smaller than the last.

The handsome man’s eyelid twitched: “If you don’t explain in detail, I might even think your noble store has gathered imperial chefs from the six great hegemonic countries.”

Bai Yu Xia said calmly: “This store doesn’t deceive children or elders.”

“But what others think is none of your business?”

“You can ask me.” Bai Yu Xia squinted with a smile.

“Very good, you’re a businessman. If you don’t make it later, you can come work for me.”

Saying this, the person who came found a window seat and sat down: “No need for dishes, just bring a pot of the most expensive wine.”

“Bring a pot of Shen Zui!”

Bai Yu Xia instructed, then looked at this guest and said: “Your Excellency’s temperament is extraordinary, definitely not a vulgar guest. Have you also come to throw yourself upon our boss?”

The handsome man looked at him with a half-smile and said concisely: “Came to collect a debt.”

As soon as these words came out, Bai Yu Xia immediately became solemn, his qi and blood suddenly restrained.

At the staircase on the second floor, Lin Xian also appeared silently, his hand on the handle of his firewood knife.

And the handsome man’s gaze merely swept over them lightly.

This kind of阴冷 touch was actually like a substance, making Bai Yu Xia seem to smell a kind of decayed scent.

In this tense moment—

“No need to be tense.”

Jiang Wang smiled and walked out, patted Bai Yu Xia’s shoulder, dispersing the阴冷 breath that was approaching him, and then sat opposite this guest.

“Long time no see.”

The handsome man said with a smile: “I still thought you didn’t dare to see me.”

“Why would I not dare to see you?”

Jiang Wang retorted, then wrinkled his brow: “Why is the killing intent so heavy? Even Shen You Xing Dou was shocked back by you.”

Seeing how familiar they were, Lin Xian silently disappeared again, and Bai Yu Xia walked back to the counter and continued calculating the unfinished accounts.

And the store waiter just walked out with a pot of wine, not knowing whether to continue serving it.

Jiang Wang beckoned in the air, bringing the pot of wine over and placing it flat on the wine table.

Yin Guan also naturally took a wine cup, flipped it over, and pushed it gently with his finger, waiting for Jiang Wang to pour him wine. He said: “Sorry, just finished a business. It’s a bit hard to收住.”

Jiang Wang filled his wine cup to the brim before putting the wine pot aside.

Yin Guan, with a gesture like licking blood from a knife edge, was just about to drink it all, but his cup stopped at his lips. He suddenly looked at Jiang Wang vigilantly: “Why aren’t you drinking?”

“Oh, I just don’t want to drink wine.” Jiang Wang’s tone was casual.

Yin Guan’s eyes were suspicious: “You didn’t put poison in the wine, did you?”

“What good would poisoning you do me?” Jiang Wang retorted.

“免 a big debt.” Yin Guan said.

Jiang Wang stirred his hand and said regretfully: “Mainly I’m not skilled at this.”

Yin Guan put down the wine cup.

“Hey, once the seal is opened, there’s no going back.”

Jiang Wang emphasized.